FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 1986
GOVERNOR GIVES ASSURANCE ON DAYA BAY SAFETY INFORMATION
****
THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING WHAT IT SHOULD IN ENSURING THAT THE PUBLIC OBTAINS THE BEST INFORMATION ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR PLANT, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE NAMING CEREMONY OF THE RUN RUN SHAW COMMUNITY CENTRE OF THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC, SIR EDWARD SAID: +WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE PLANT AND THE PRECAUTIONS THAT COULD BE TAKEN.+
NOTING THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS SENDING THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MR JOHN YAXLEY, TO LONDON, HE SAID THIS WAS ALL PART OF A GENERAL PLAN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAD HAD FOR SOME TIME TO ENSURE THAT IT HAD THE BEST AND MOST UP-TO-DATE ADVICE ON THE MATTER.
+SO I THINK WE ARE DOING WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING TO TRY TO REASSURE PEOPLE IN THIS AS FAR AS WE CAN, HE NOTED.
ASKED WHETHER THERE WAS ANY INFORMATION AVAILABLE NOW WHICH WAS NOT AVAILABLE WHEN THE DECISION TO BUILD THE NUCLEAR PLANT WAS MADE, SIR EDWARD SAID WHEN THE ORIGINAL DECISION WAS MADE, THERE WAS NOT THE CONCERN THAT WAS EXPRESSED NOW.
HE SAID THE FACT WAS THAT WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE A LOT OF NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMMES WERE OPERATING, +AND ARE STILL
THEY HAVE BEEN OPERATING IN A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES, OPERATING SAFELY FOR MANY YEARS.+
+WHAT IS NEW ABOUT THE SITUATION IS THE ANXIETY WHICH HAS NOW BEEN FELT AS A RESULT OF THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER. AND THAT IS WHY PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR A LOT MORE INFORMATION WHICH THEY WANT NOW AFTER THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER WHICH THEY WERE NOT ASKING FOR BEFORE.+
ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD RECONSIDER ITS DECISION TO GUARANTEE A LOAN FOR THE PROJECT, SIR EDWARD SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY TAKEN A DECISION ON THAT, AND HAD GIVEN ITS UNDERTAK LNG.
12